BANGKOK: Asean is deeply disappointed by the limited progress and lack of commitment of the Myanmar junta in implementing the Five-Point Consensus to end the conflict in the country.
In a communique issued on Friday after the 55th Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM-55), the10-member bloc said ministers extensively discussed the recent developments in Myanmar and expressed concerns over the prolonged political crisis in the country, including the execution of four opposition activists.
“We are deeply disappointed by the limited progress in and lack of commitment of the Myanmar authorities to the timely and complete implementation of the Five-Point Consensus.
“Towards this end, upholding the agreement of our leaders at the 38th and 39th Asean Summits and consistent with Article 20 of the Asean Charter, we recommended that the Asean Summit assesses the progress towards the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus by the State Administration Council to guide the decision on the next steps,” it said.
The communique said the ministers reiterated their commitment to peace and stability in the region and expressed Asean’s readiness to assist Myanmar in a positive, peaceful, and constructive manner, including in the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
The communique said the foreign minister also agreed that the Special Envoy of the Asean Chair on Myanmar shall engage all Myanmar relevant stakeholders at the earliest.
The Five-Point Consensus on handling the Myanmar crisis had been agreed upon at the Asean Leaders Meeting (ALM) in Jakarta in April 2021.
The Five-Point Consensus calls for an immediate cessation of violence in the country, dialogue among all parties concerned, the appointment of an Asean special envoy to facilitate mediation, the provision of humanitarian assistance by Asean, and a visit by the special envoy to Myanmar to meet all parties.
On Aug 2, Myanmar’s military chief Sr Gen Min Aung Hlaing said that some points of the Five-Point Consensus agreed upon with Asean to end the country’s ongoing crisis will be implemented this year.
He said Myanmar was unable to implement the Five-Point Consensus last year due to “lack of stability” partly because of the impact of Covid-19 pandemic.
The AMM-55 which was expected to focus on efforts to end the crisis in Myanmar which is attended by Asean foreign ministers as well as top diplomats from China, United States, Russia, and Japan.
However, tensions in Taiwan Strait following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the island overshadowed the meeting.-Bernama
